The first time was hard enough
by Lady Razeli
Summary: Serena Tsukino, hard working doctor and single mother never thought she would ever see the father of her child again, until the spoiled playboy shows up on her doorstep with marriage in mind as his inheritance is now at stake. She shuts him out not wantin
1. They Meet

The first time was hard enough

By

Lady Razeli

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon.

Summary: Serena Tsukino, hard working doctor and single mother never thought she would ever see the father of her child again, until the spoiled playboy shows up on her doorstep with marriage in mind as his inheritance is now at stake. She shuts him out not wanting him to take her on another whirl wind romance only to leave her and her daughter again for his rich lifestyle uninhibited by a woman looking for commitment and her young daughter, who he happened to be the father of.

They Meet

Darien Chiba, well-known playboy walked through the carnival in search of a corndog. He never could pass up a chance to get a carnival corndog. He felt a bit out of place without a kid or a girlfriend, but he was Darien Chiba and if he needed a woman to keep people from looking at him weird all he had to do was look her way. After all he was heir to millions and ridiculously sexy.

"Oh yeah I have it all. Now where are those corndogs."

"What do you mean you're out of corndogs!" Darien stopped walking as he spotted a beautiful blond goddess yelling at the guy on the stand. He walked over and noted her white doctor's jacket.

"I'm sorry Miss there are just no more corndogs in the entire carnival."

"What!" Darien exclaimed. "This unbelievable! I took time out of my busy schedule for a corn dog and you're telling me there aren't any."

"I know, I have co-workers expecting a corn dog."

"I'm sorry." They walked away.

"This is just great, I'm on a tight schedule and there aren't anymore corndogs." Darien looked at the blond Goddess beside him. She suddenly looked up at him with beautiful sky blue eyes and seemed to see through his midnight blue ones into the very depths of his soul. Serena let out a breath of air, she had never met a man so handsome as the one before her.

"Serena."

"Darien Chiba."

"Nice to meet you," They said at the same time making both of them a little embarrassed. They shook hands.

"Want some funnel cake?" He asked. Serena smiled and nodded.

"Well I do love funnel cake as much as I love corn dogs." He smiled.

"Me too." They got funnel cake and he paid.

"Why so many?" Darien asked.

"Oh my co-workers were expecting corn dogs, but since they're out, they've given me money for funnel cake as well."

"You're a…" Darien started but her phone beeped.

"Oh my I have to go, buy thanks for the funnel cake, I'll pay you back." Serena left quickly with six funnel cakes in hand. She returned to the Hospital where she worked as a surgeon. She was thinking about going back to Medical school to be credential as a pediatrician instead. She did love children and she did love making them feel better.

"I told you it would get her back faster," Lita told Raye, Amy, Mina, and Molly.

"Great Job Lita."

"You guys are horrible, but anyway they were out of corndogs."

"What!" They exclaimed. "Out of corndogs whadda ya mean!" Serena cringed.

"They were out so I got everyone funnel cake."

"Those…ugh I'm so mad," Raye grumbled. She handed them back their money.

"Hey Sere you didn't have to buy it for us, that's why we gave you money."

"I didn't, some hot guy bought it." Mina who was turned around turned back to her and pulled her to a chair.

"Start talking, you're now talking to Dr. Love."

"Well there I was arguing with the guy about not having any corndogs because that's just outrageous I mean what kind of carnival doesn't have corndogs, it's…"

"Okay forget about the corndogs talk about the guy," Lita said impatiently.

"Oh right of course well he came up behind me and demanded to know why they didn't have corndogs. Next thing I knew I was introducing myself and he introduced himself so than he bought me funnel cake well all of us. And just before the conversation could go anywhere you guys called."

"Lita!" They exclaimed. Lita looked down blaming herself as well.

"Oh God you have to go back and see if he's still there," Mina said impatiently. " I wanna know more about him and what did you say his name is?"

"Darien Chiba."

"Darien Chiba!" They exclaimed. Everyone stared at them, but they ignored them.

"Um…should I know him?" Serena asked. They looked at her in disbelief. They all dragged her to Mina's office.

"He is only the hottest billion dollar heir to Chiba Industries," Mina squealed as if there hadn't been a pause in their conversation as they raced to her office. Mina tossed a magazine to her.

"Honey you just met the bank at the carnival," Raye told her.

"He's so rich the Queen of England is poor compared to him okay, only thing she holds over him is a freaking useless title," Lita told her.

"Lita," Amy said before turning to Serena to face her. "But Serena you should be careful around this guy, Darien Chiba is known to be a major playboy."

"Yeah and Sere is just the girl to make him settle down," Lita told her moving Amy out of Serena's line of vision. "I say go for it girl. I mean if anything you can come out of this with a night to remember. He is absolutely gorgeous after all."

"Well he was handsome, but guys the chances of me actually meeting him again…"

"Are one and six billion," Amy interjected. Serena sighed and looked at Amy.

"Thank you, I really needed to hear that out loud," Serena told her sarcastically and Amy grinned.

"Well its true the odds are against you."

"Unless fate is trying to tell you something because hottest heir to ever walk the planet just pulled up into the hospital parking lot," Raye said.

"What!" Mina practically jumped over her desk to look out her window. "Oh my God, I would know those gorgeous locks anywhere!"

"Serena! What the hell are you still doing up here, go downstairs!" Amy exclaimed when she looked out of the window.

"What, wait no Sere first we have to do a hair and make up check," Mina declared. They brushed her hair making it look neater and shine more before reapplying her make up.

"Now remember act natural do your job, pretend as little interest as possible without discouraging him," Mina told her before they pushed her out the door, into the elevator and to her office before leaving her. The nurse came in immediately.

"Dr. Tsukino, your patient is ready to be prepped for the removal or her ovaries."

"Thank you." She nodded and walked out. Serena hurried off to the O.R. grabbing the woman's file on the way. Darien Chiba would have to wait until she got out of surgery.

"Where is she going?" Lita asked the nurse as they came out of hiding.

"O.R. it's scheduled for now." They groaned.

"Well if a hot guy comes looking for her, tell him to wait." The nurse nodded. "Oh God I have to get back to the children, my one o'clock must be here by now." Lita hurried off. Raye got back to the maternity ward and Amy went down to the E.R. she didn't specialize in anything in particular. Mina was a psychiatrist and hurried to her patient's room to counsel them about their grief.

"Excuse me, do you know where I can find a short, cute, long golden haired, doctor?" Darien asked the receptionist. At his description she smiled and nodded.

"Yes, you must be talking about Dr. Serena, Tsukino, you can find her in the surgical ward."

"And that is?" Darien asked.

"On the third floor, just above the maternity ward. Don't expect to see her without an appointment though."

"How can I convince you to help me get in without an appointment?" Darien asked slipping her a hundred-dollar bill.

"I don't know Sir, there is simply no…" He slipped her another hundred and she looked at him expectantly.

"Three that's as far as I go." She accepted the third hundred-dollar bill.

"Slip the nurse upstairs a hundred dollar bill and she'll tell you all you need to know and if Dr. Tsukino is not in surgery will immediately see you into her office." Darien nodded and raced upstairs. At first after Serena had run off he'd gone straight to his office and told Andrew all about his little run in, but than Andrew had convinced him that smart blond goddesses with legs for days only walked into your life once and he needed to take advantage of it. Darien of course had agreed, I mean since when did he ever let a beautiful girl pass him by. Besides Serena was one of a kind after all. Assured that Andrew could handle the business meeting on his own, he was gone.

"Can I help you sir?" the nurse asked when he reached the surgical ward. She fell for him immediately, who didn't weak in the knees when they saw the Adonis standing before them.

"Yes, I am looking for Dr. Serena Tsukino."

"I'm sorry sir, but you can't see her without an appointment." He gave her a hundred-dollar bill without anyone seeing.

"I need to see Dr. Tsukino if you please."

"I'm sorry Sir, but the doctor just ran up to the O.R. however you are welcome to wait in her office."

"Thank you." She showed him inside and he looked around. It was full of medical books on everything he could possibly imagine, he supposed. On the walls were her degrees.

"Harvard Medical wow," He murmured. Darien walked over to her desk, which had a computer and other necessities. Everything was neat and had its own place. On her desk was a picture of her four best friends and they were all doctors from their outfits in the picture. There was another picture of them as five-year-olds. Serena was beautiful even than, he thought as he moved to the next picture. It was more recent consisting of her and her family. She had a mother, father, and younger brother. From the look in her parents eyes they were having marital problems if not divorced. Two more pictures confirmed a divorce in his mind as her picture s had both her parents separated. Now each parent was considerably happier. Serena was younger in the picture with her mother than she was in the one with her father, so than he was not sure.

"Now why is that space empty?" He asked. He noted that it was just room enough for another picture. The door opened at that moment. Serena was talking to someone about the woman not being ready for surgery because of something, so they couldn't do it. She entered and gasped when she saw Darien.

"Oh you found me."

"Yes, I found you," Darien grinned. Serena grinned a little too. "Did you enjoy your funnel cake." Serena nodded.

"Very much, though I still wish they had corndogs." Darien laughed.

"Yes, I do as well."

"I thought you were in a hurry to get somewhere?"

"I was and I went, but than I had to find you." Serena smiled.

"Why?" She asked walking over and motioning for him to get out of her chair. He moved. He shrugged.

"A girl like you only comes around one, why miss out." Darien walked over to the seat opposite her desk. "So will a girl like you grace me with her presence for dinner tonight?"

"Tonight?"

"Yes, tonight, the most expensive restaurant in town."

"No," Serena refused. He was a playboy and she would not be so eager to go out with him like all the other women that threw themselves at his feet. She would not be just another name on his list another notch in his bedpost.

"I assure you, you will not be just another notch in my bedpost," Darien told her seeing the look in her eyes.

"That's what they all say before they break your heart." Darien chuckled.

"Too many romance novels I see, but I am different. So come on tonight dinner, you and I. Don't make me beg, please." Serena grinned.

"No, we wouldn't want the great Darien Chiba to beg for something." He got on his knees and begged her. He was as surprised as she was.

"If you're going to beg than I guess I'll have to say yes."

"Yes!" Darien exclaimed. "So when and where can I pick you up?"

"My shift ends at eight, if you don't mind a late dinner."

"No, I don't."

"Good, here's my address pick me up at nine."

"I'll be there."

"Can't wait," Serena replied.

"Well I must get back to my meeting. I'm glad I found you." He hurried out and no sooner had he gone were all her friends in the room.

"Dish!" Mina exclaimed. Serena told all and they squealed with delight.

"Oh my God we're all over there to help you prepare."

"Ready to go?" Darien asked showing up at her place right on time.

"Yep, I just have to go get my purse and wrap." Darien looked dashing in his dark blue Gabardine Three button Suit and Serena wore a beautiful Giorgio Armani Couture Dress - Black Viscose Evening Gown with Beaded Detail with a matching wrap and purse. Serena went upstairs and the girls handed her what she needed.

"All packed," Amy told her.

"Wait," Mina said. "Lita." Lita nodded and pulled out several condoms.

"Just in case," Lita said winking.

"Lita, Mina," Serena whined. "You know I'm not like that."

"Yeah, but they're right Serena, you just never know who that guy will be," Raye told her. Everyone nodded their agreement and Serena blushed as they placed the condoms in her purse of every size.

"Hope that's the right size," Mina whispered loud enough for Serena to hear as she left out with a wave. Her blush got even redder especially when she saw Darien again.

"You ready?" Serena nodded and headed for the door and he followed. "Bye ladies!"

"Bye!" They called back slightly surprised he knew they were there.

"Bye girls," Serena called back. Serena was slightly surprised that a limousine waited for them and the driver helped her inside before Darien got in.

"Have you ever rode in a limousine?" Darien asked.

"Twice."

"When?" Darien asked.

"The first was on my prom night."

"The second?"

"Raye's wedding."

"And Raye is?" Darien asked.

"The Ob/gyn, she has long black hair." Darien nodded.

"And the others?"

"There's Amy, she's got short hair, and she's an attending physician down in the Emergency Room. Lita is the Pediatrician, she loves children. Lastly is Mina, she's the blond that resembles me, she's actually my cousin."

"And what does she do at the hospital, nurse?" Serena looked at him.

"Don't let Mina ever hear you call her a nurse, she takes it as an insult that someone would just assume she's a nurse. Its true she can be a total ditz as much as I have klutz attacks, but she's much smarter than she looks." Darien laughed.

"I think I'll call her a nurse just to see her reaction." Serena laughed.

"Okay you'll regret it."

"So what did she specialize in?"

"Mental Health, she's a psychiatrist and on the side she's a match maker." Darien laughed.

"And how many of her matches have well survived?"

"Well to tell you the truth she's better at telling when someone is already in love that will last than she is at creating love matches. Don't get me wrong every so often Mina hits it right on the nose, but than there are other times she is way wrong."

"And what does the Love doctor say about us?" Darien asked. Serena laughed. "What's so funny?"

"No one except you and of course herself have ever called her the Love doctor." Darien laughed too. "But I think she thinks you would be a match made in heaven for me, but she warns me not to put all my eggs in one basket if you know what I mean." Darien nodded.

"I do." Soon they were at the best restaurant in town and having a lovely dinner.

"So what are your hobbies?" Serena asked.

"I love to read and I golf with my dad and sometimes other business associates. Usually we don't let anyone else join us in our time together unless it's very important business."

"What are you like junior CEO?" Serena asked. Darien grinned.

"Something like that, I'm the bosses son, that's even better." Serena laughed as did he. "But yeah you hit it right on the money, I've worked in the company ever since I was thirteen, I have worked every job in that company to get to where I am. I had to learn the business inside and out. But you know I don't like talking about work. Let's get to know you a bit, what do you do in your spare time?" Darien easily switched to her, nothing made a date go faster than by a girl talking about herself. Hopefully Serena was a total bore like the others.

"Well in my spare time I travel to third word countries surgically fixing cleft lip."

"So you do plastic surgery too?" Darien asked. Serena nodded.

"Yeah, sometimes I moonlight a bit and just do straight up plastic surgery to make some quick cash for my savings. I'm a shopaholic sometimes what with having a friend like Mina who is addicted."

"Wow, so what other hobbies do you have?"

"Um… sometimes Lita and I help out at the local daycare center or orphanage. Orphanage more than the daycare though. If I'm really tired out I treat myself to a spa day or just laze around at home more often than not with a nice book. Than there's other fun stuff I do with the girls."

"Hobbies?"

"Origami, reading, and you'll probably think its weird, but I have a train set. I love collecting trains." Darien looked at her surprised.

"I thought I was the only one these days." They had a very animated conversation about trains and restoring them. They went back to Serena's house and played with her train set. She was thankful the girls had left. After that night Darien took her on a whirl wind romance. They spent three glorious weeks together. He even flew her all the way to Beijing just for dinner. There was a nice celebration going on so they had a blast.

"I can't believe you're still with this girl."

"Yeah, well it all ends tonight," Darien told Andrew.

"Really?" Andrew asked. "You think tonight is the night?"

"It has to be, we're going back to London tomorrow aren't we?" Andrew nodded.

"Yes, we are, but does she know that?" Darien shook his head.

"I hadn't the heart to tell her."

"So you've romanced her for three weeks, and now you're going to have sex with her and leave the next morning."

"Yeah, pretty much, I've done it before and now is no different."

"Wow man I thought you'd at least be nice to this one."

"I am being nice, she doesn't need me around. Let her find happiness with someone who is not a workaholic. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go pick her up for our last date." Andrew shook his head as he watched Darien go.

"Our three week anniversary can you believe it?" Serena asked Mina.

"I knew you two would be together, oh Sere, you're so lucky," Mina told her. They all helped her get ready for her date.

"So is tonight the night?" Lita asked.

"Lita," They groaned. Lita gave a little laugh.

"Hey I wanna know and don't act like you guys don't."

"She's got a point," Mina pointed out.

"All right spill," Raye told her. Serena blushed.

"Well I was thinking tonight might be the night, I don't know how much will power I have left to refuse him." They all squealed.

"Oh our little Sere is growing you guys," Lita cried.

"And that'll only leave Amy."

"I'm waiting."

"I said the same thing, but will power only lasts so long," Serena told her.

"Well we'll see if I am truly stronger willed," Amy told her. Soon they all scrammed in anticipation for her date.

"You ready?" Darien asked. Serena nodded and they walked out to the limousine. Everything seemed more romantic than usual. Darien was pulling out all the stops and he was determined to have her dress off by midnight.

"Darien stop, I don't think I can stop this time," Serena breathed as he kissed her neck.

"That's what I was hoping for," Darien whispered to himself. Out loud he said. "I will go no further than you want me too." He continued to kiss her and Serena lost her will power as she returned his gentle kisses. Too her they were making passionate love after she got pass the pain.

"Darien?" Serena asked as they made love.

"Yes Serena?" Darien asked.

"Do you love me?" Serena asked even though her mind told her it was a little late to be asking that.

"Yes, I do," Darien lied easily or at least he thought it to be a lie.

"I love you too," Serena whispered back and than she did not hold back much to his joy and delight forgetting about their exchange of words.

"This is going to be hard on you," Darien whispered before he kissed her forehead careful not to disturb the way her hair flowed over her body and shined in the morning light. Her face was so peaceful and happy. To think he was going to put a frown on her face. He shook his head, he was a horrible man and he didn't deserve to be the one to make her transformation into a woman complete. "Oh I have sinned big time, you were my forbidden apple and I ate you. Now I cast myself out of this garden of Eden." He dressed quickly and quietly. He even folded her dress from the night before and pulled the covers up over her. Next he got her breakfast from a restaurant and flowers. He wrote a note explaining so that she would not worry and call him constantly. He left the yellow roses in a vase on the table with the note under it. Breakfast was laid out and than he left just as he heard her begin to awake.

"Hmm…Darien," Serena said opening her eyes and turning over to touch him. She found the bedside empty and neatly made up. She sat up and looked around. His clothes weren't around or anything. It was like he had never been there. She got out of bed ignoring the soreness between her legs and dressed in one of her sexy nightgowns. "Darien!" She smelled food and smiled to herself. She found the kitchen empty and undisturbed. She looked at the table and found breakfast. She ate as she looked around.

"Maybe he went to get something or he had to leave suddenly for a meeting. He hadn't said anything about a meeting, but that was normal." She walked into her living room and saw the yellow roses on the table. Under the roses was a note and she picked it up. Upon reading the first line she dropped her food and by the time she got to end she was furious.

"Damn you Darien Chiba!" She threw the vase against the wall in anger before she started crying. Her friends found her living room a mess when they came during their lunch hour after repeated calls. They finally found her crying her eyes out in her bedroom.

"Sere, what happen downstairs?" Mina asked. They all sat around her.

"Did Darien do something?" Lita asked suddenly angry and ready to go kick his ass. Always the friend ready to defend her friends against anyone who hurt them.

"He left," Serena cried as she leaned against Raye who rubbed her back.

"What do you mean he left?" Amy asked.

"And we thought you were the smart one," Raye told Amy who blushed a little.

"He left just like that," Serena told them. She showed them the letter. They gasped. " I just don't understand I asked him outright if he loved me and he said he did. Now this!" She went back into hysterics.

"Serena the only thing you can do now is move on," Amy told her a little later.

"Things will get better we promise, things will change, Darien will pay for doing this to you."

"If he weren't out of the country I'd kill him for hurting you," Lita told her.

"You guys are right, I can't let him drag me down," Serena cried. Her depression lasted a few more weeks before she fully recovered into her old self that is until she took a pregnancy test.


	2. One month

One month 

"Has he called yet?" Mina asked as nursed her one month old baby girl. She looked just like Darien with her black hair, but she had her mother's eyes and for that Serena was grateful. 

"No, he hasn't. Please stop asking meaning it's been nearly a year since he left me. He's gone and nothing is going to change that. Besides you see the newspapers." Mina sighed and looked down sadly at the child in her cousin's arms. Darien had been featured with beautiful model after beautiful model. Plain doctor Serena Tsukino was the last thing on his mind. 

"All right I will, but may you should at least try calling him and telling…" 

"No!" Serena exclaimed. "I will not contact him so he can hurt both of us this time. Kimiko will not be hurt by him if I can help it." Mina nodded. The truth was Serena had tried to call Darien several times to tell him about Kimiko, but she had failed to dial the number once she got a hold of it. And when she did dial the number she got his machine and left the message. That had been three weeks ago. He had not called, shown up, or even sent her a stupid letter or email. There was no response from him and that only meant one thing, he didn't care about Kimiko. 

"All right well do you need anything else before I go?" 

"No, thanks for bringing the diapers by the way between her and work I just forgot." Serena looked utterly exhausted. 

"I know Amy is working on a way to fix that as we speak." Mina stood up and rubbed her shoulder. Serena smiled a little knowing Mina was there for her. "Now don't forget I'm taking the little one this weekend so you can get some rest, I want you to keep that in mind as something to look forward to and not stress out." Serena nodded. Once Mina was gone Serena stood up and headed upstairs where she lay the baby down in her basinet before lowering herself onto her own bed on her stomach which she had managed to slim down an inch from what she use to be in four months under Raye's regiment. It also helped that she exercised during her pregnancy. She took a deep breath and from the very depths of the pillow Darien's intoxicating cologne still lingered after several washes. Tears slipped from her eyes and she turned over onto her back having to adjust several times to accommodate her long hair. 

"What has my life come too?" Everything remained silent and soon she drifted off to sleep, but she only slept about as long as her darling daughter who was a fussy one. By twelve that night Serena was already warming up a bottle so that they could both get some sleep. 

"Here you are Kimiko a nice warm bottle." Kimiko refused the bottle preferring breast milk to formula to Serena's dismay. "All right calm down angel." Serena sat on the edge of her bed with a yawn and released a breast. Once she had Kimiko properly suckling she relaxed a little. 

"You're stubborn one just like your father." Serena frowned at her words. This was no time to be comparing her beautiful Kimiko to the bastard who fathered her. "I'm sorry darling, I meant for you to be born in a loving home with two parents not one. But we don't need big jerks in our family, we need people who are there for us like your Aunts and Grandma." She looked down to see that Kimiko had fallen asleep at her breast, but she was still suckling. Serena didn't dare stop her. She her get her fill at each breast before she tucked her in and got in bed. Thankfully the next feeding at six when she had to get up. 

"Dr. Tsukino, are you going on that Operation smile trip?" The chief of staff asked. 

"No, sir not this year I had a baby remember." 

"Splendid a couple of friends of mine are going to be over there as long as you are so I need someone to go to all the parties with me as I try to convince them and their rich friends in Vietnam to donate to the hospital." 

"Sir I just told you I'm not going." 

"Vacation with double the pay Dr. Tsukino, think about it." Serena may have been a surgeon with an office, but she wasn't making that much money what with her mortgage, shopping expenses, extra baby expensive, and other bills to keep her and Kimiko living comfortably. She wasn't even including the student loans or her car payments in the math. 

"All right Sir fine." He smiled and walked off. Serena sighed. She hoped that her mother could perhaps watch Kimiko for a month or the girls collectively. 

"Well I'm actually heading out to Japan. One of my private clients wants to have her baby back in her homeland, but she wants her doctor which is me there. So I couldn't possibly." 

"I would love too with Aunt Ikuko's help," Mina told her. 

"Yeah, I'll happily give some of my time to watch Kimiko," Amy told her. "Who else is helping because you know I don't have a lot of hours." Serena nodded. 

"Mina and I'm going to call my mom to see if she'll at least take her during the day while you guys work or night whichever." Amy nodded. 

"Okay." 

"Of course, she can stay at my house during the night. I know Amy and Mina don't exactly have places meant for children just yet." Serena nodded and thanked Lita. She called her mother, but her mother was going out of town for the first two weeks of that month for a doctor's conference. Serena realized that collectively none of them really had time for children. She didn't even know how she did it alone, how were they going to pull it off together? Serena decided that she was going to fine Kimiko a daycare rather than put her off on her mother or brother Sammy really who lazed around her mother's house. It was time she put him to use. 

"You talk to your dad?" Ikuko asked when Serena came to pick up Kimiko late that night. Serena shook her head. 

"You know Dad never calls except on holidays, he moves so much I don't even think he knows about Kimiko yet, why?" Ikuko shook her head.

"No, I just know how much you love him and I like to hear that he's called you." Serena nodded in understanding. 

"I guess we Tsukino women are just destined to fall for jerks." Ikuko nodded and hugged her before she kissed her granddaughter goodbye. 

"Try and get some sleep dear." Serena nodded before leaving. 

_Two months later_

"Okay so I got her eating baby formula now and diapers have been giving her a really nasty rash that even the cream is having trouble cleaning up so I've switched her to cloth diapers and I've provided leak protectors," Serena told them. They nodded. "Now she stills the diaper rash cream though because it hasn't cleared up yet. She likes her belly rubbed as your putting her in your bassinet and don't hold her for too long after she's asleep or you'll spoil her and we don't want that." 

"Okay and in the bottle you put?" Mina asked. 

"Two scoops of milk and some cereal. Make sure you put enough cereal in it so it gets thick if not you'll need to make a second bottle of her." 

"Okay here's the number you can reach me at and the key to the house if she needs anything I might have forgotten to pack." 

"All right, we'll get your mail for you as well and make sure the house is safe and sound," Lita told her as she held Kimiko. 

"Okay good, I really appreciate this, ladies and don't forget my mom will be home in two weeks and you can reach her at this number." They nodded. "My brother is also being paid to be available at all times to watch Kimiko, so he's on call so to speak." They nodded. 

"Girl just go you're going to be late." Serena kissed Kimiko and hugged all her friends before she left for the airport. She parked her car in the proper area and headed for her flight. The usual staff who went to take part in operation smile, smiled at her and congratulated her. 

"I'm so glad you made time in your new life to come Dr. Tsukino your skill is greatly appreciated," They told her. She smiled back and thanked them. Soon though they had boarded the plane and she was joking with the nurses all the way to Vietnam. 

London, England three months ago, 

"Hmmm…Darien Chiba you've been a very dirty boy," Super hot model Beryl breathed as she grinned at him. 

"Thank you, now this dirty boy is going to go shower I've got to be seen in an hour with some of my father's people." Beryl nodded. 

"Your more than welcome to lounge around here for a little while before you meet me at the actual party." Beryl sat up in bed to watch his naked form. 

"Oh that's right my thoughts had bypassed the party and moved straight back to here." Darien grinned. 

"Ah I see my super model is way ahead of me in thought." 

"One of us must think of the pleasure darling and not just work. She crawled over to him and kissed him seductively as his strong hands romed her tall frame. He broke the kiss. 

"Shower than meeting and after that the party. We'll stay five minutes and than we're out of there faster than anyone can stop us." Beryl smiled and he quickly retreated into the shower before he was late. She got out of bed and wrapped the sheet around herself as she headed for the kitchen in the ultra modern penthouse, but his decoration style would change once she had officially moved in and soon after a nice big fat diamond be on her finger and no one was going to stand in her way. When she came out of the kitchen eating ice she noticed that he had a message. The phone had rang earlier, but neither of them had stopped the fun to pick up the phone especially when it was all the way in the living room. She looked towards his bedroom and saw no movement and listened to see if the shower was turned off. He was still in there. She picked up the phone and looked at the caller ID. 

"Call from Japan," Beryl read quietly. "Probably some whore he met there, I'm so sick of his whores." Beryl and Darien had been dating for two years well before he went to Japan and yet no matter what city or country he was in when she was not there to take down those girls he was sleeping with one of them. He'd spent three weeks in Japan and no doubt she was smitten with him. She saw the red light flashing and pushed the button after checking to see if he was coming. 

_Darien its me Serena Tsukino. I don't know if you still remember me after the way you left, but I just called to tell you that you got me pregnant and I kept it. It's a girl. I just thought you should know. You hurt me by what you did, but I want Kimiko to have a father in her life even if its just a phone call, which makes all the difference. My number hasn't changed bye. _

Beryl fumed inside as she quickly deleted the message. If Darien found out about his little bastard child than he would run to that Japanese whore and marry her faster than Beryl could kill her. She would have to make sure Darien never found about his bastard or her life was in jeopardy. 

* * *

A/n: Sry for the long wait but hope you enjoyed. 


	3. Inheritance

Inheritance

Darien sighed as he sat in his father's home next to Beryl, Andrew sat with his wife of three years and their seven month old son, Andy. To make manners worse she was already pregnant again with their second son. Frankly Darien though Andrew had sold out on him, he had yet to make any sort of long term commitment with Beryl that involved the rest of his life. He knew that soon, she would reach the end of the rode with him, he was tired of sleeping with her regularly naturally he had branched out, but he was done playing with her. As a matter of fact, they hadn't had sex in three weeks.

"Finally," Beryl muttered as his father walked in they were suppose to be heading for a fashion show, but his father had called an emergency meeting, so they had gone over. Darien turned his attention to his father when he finally sat down.

"I have some news."

"Obviously," Beryl muttered. Darien glared at her, but she wasn't looking at him.

"Now I'm dying of cancer." No one seemed shocked they were aware of the CEO of Chiba Industries failing health. Darien and Andrew expected equal shares of stock, but for Darien to take over as CEO and Andrew would become the new CFO currently their father held both positions. "Good no one is shocked. Now Drew, you will get half of all that I own and take over as CFO like you wanted." Andrew nodded happily. Than he turned to Darien. "You Darien will also get the same, but take my place as CEO." Darien smiled. "However." His smile faltered, why was there a catch for him. "You must have a fiancé by the end of this month, and married by the end of next in a nice socially acceptable wedding. I have all the necessary people waiting for your bride's call. After the wedding, she must be knocked up before the year is out before I hand over my company into your hands. If not it all goes to Andrew and you can kiss your job, your money, all of it goodbye." Darien stared at him in shock though Beryl looked absolutely pleased with the development of things.

"You want me to get married?" Darien asked in disbelief.

"Yes, and to a woman like your mother, not the trash you carry around on your arm." Beryl frowned knowing it was a shot at her.

"You have got to be kidding me I can't get married."

"I am not, and you will if you want to be CEO of this company," He told him angrily. They argued all night until they were the only ones awake. The morning found Darien on his way to the airport in a panic, he didn't know any women that would satisfy his father except one, and who knew what she thought of him now. But that didn't matter he was Darien Chiba future CEO of Chiba Industries, She would not resist him. Twenty-three hours later found him stepping off the plane in Japan. It was another two days before he was revived from Jet lag. Now it was time for him to work his magic on the blond Goddess he had not seen in nearly four years. He had gotten back together with many a girl whose heart he had broken, and he didn't plan on Serena Tsukino being any different.


	4. The first time was hard enough

A/n: I want to thank all my reviewers new and old, I'm glad to see after months of waiting your still here with me. As promised a longer chapter than the last one. I'm still just getting warmed up if you still think its too short. Someone asked me about the time line and when we last left off with Sere and Kimi, kimi was about three months, time has now skipped ahead in chapter 3 and 4, so now Kimi is three nearly four years old. Enjoy Chapter four.

The first time was hard enough

"Kimi you can leave the table when you drink all your milk," Serena told her daughter who was refusing to do so. Kimi crossed her arms as a frown possessed her beautiful features. Just as Serena had suspected she was stubborn like her father and it was almost uncanny how much they looked a like with the exception of her eyes they were all hers.

"No, I don't like milk."

"But if you don't drink your milk we'll never get to the park today, and it'll be a long time before mommy has time to take you there again, now do you want to be negative Naru and ruin our day?" Kimiko shook her head. "Than please drink your milk."

"No," Kimiko said shaking her head.

"All right well you can just stay here until you do." Serena stood up and left the dining area. Since Kimiko was a baby Serena had been forced to moonlight more to help pay all the bills. She had gotten a grip on shopping for herself, but she could barely control herself when it came to Kimiko, sometimes she just forgot to look at the price entirely. She wasn't sure how she had even managed to keep her beautiful home. But that didn't matter she had just made her last mortgage payment because of her father who had finally made an appearance to see his grandchild on Kimiko's second birthday. His gift making sure she would always have permanent home. Serena was so grateful as it took a huge weight off her shoulders. She had her dream house, a beautiful child, but she couldn't help, but reminded even more at night at the absence of a husband and father for that beautiful child.

"Mommy, let's go to the park," Kimiko told her pulling on her matching yellow skirt. They were both dressed in short yellow skirts, and cute bunny tops with yellow suspenders.

"Did you drink your milk?" Kimiko nodded. "Show me." The little yellow cup was empty. "Good job baby now we can have fun." Kimiko smiled and nodded. Serena also smile, the smile also was her own. She didn't know if she could handle Kimiko having his smile too. That smile that had made her want to rip her clothes off no matter the place public or private. They went to the door and slipped on their matching yellow flats. Serena was telling her they were going to get ice cream a little later as she opened the door reveling the one and only Darien Chiba, the only man to ever steal her heart and innocence.

"Serena, love," Darien said immediately flashing her that breath taking smile. Serena felt her knees go weak, but stopped. She shut the door in his face.

"Kimiko, honey wait right here." Kimiko nodded as Serena put down her ball and slipped out the front door as Darien moved back. He didn't expect to be welcome into the house, but at least she obviously wanted an explanation, that was good in his eyes, that was all he needed.

"Look Sere, I know your probably mad at me for just running out on you after our night of passionate love making, but I had a meeting and..." Serena slapped him hard leaving a red mark across his cheek.

"You're a lying bastard Darien Chiba, and I want you to leave now. I don't want to hear any of your lies. Your not going to waltz back here as if you didn't hurt me and expect to be back in my life like that." She snapped her figures. "Like you said it was just a fling no need to call repeatedly or drop by." She threw his words back at him and it was like another stinging slap. She crossed her arms waiting for him to leave. "Well what are you waiting for, go!" Darien stood his ground.

"No, I came here for a reason, and I'm not going until I have what I want."

"I'm not sleeping with you and I won't hesitate to call the police."

"No, that's not what I'm here for right now."

"You can't have her," Serena told him getting angrier. Darien looked confused.

"Sere, what are you talking about, who can't I have?"

"Don't call me Sere and you know exactly who I'm talking about you bastard, you've never cared about her before, why now?"

"Care about who?" Darien asked. Just than his question was answered for him as Kimiko ran out of the house with her ball.

"Mommy I wanna go to the park," She whined. Darien didn't miss a beat as he took in her every feature including the ones that were all Serena like her eyes, or the length of her jet black hair. But everything else was all him, Serena had gotten pregnant with his child.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Darien raged now becoming angry. Serena stared at him in disbelief after she ushered her daughter back inside.

"Didn't tell you?" Serena asked.

"Yes!"

"I left you a message and you callous bastard, you never made no attempt to contact me and now that you're here and can't avoid the truth, don't you dare try and pin this on me, you knew!" Serena was furious. "Go away, stay out of our lives, we're doing just fine on our own!" Darien was seething. "Go away Darien Go away!" He left and punched the gas on his convertible as he went. Serena calmed down and went back inside. She leaned back against the door trying hard not to cry over the man she had loved so much for nearly four years a man who had run out on her and all for nothing.

"Mommy are we still going to the park?" Kimiko asked hestitantly seeing her mother was very upset. "I'll drink my milk now mommy I promise."

"No, Kimiko its not your fault," Serena told her quickly recognizing her tone of voice, she had heard it in her own when her parents had divorced. She bent down and brushed Kimiko's hair back. "I'm not upset with you sweetheart, okay, now why don't we get to that park?" Serena forced herself to become her cheerful self as she picked up her daughter and her ball before they headed to the park for a day of fun.

* * *

"What!" Andrew exclaimed on the phone.

"Yes, my daughter, and she didn't even have the decency to call and tell me."

"Man that doesn't sound like the kind of woman she described to me. Are you sure you just didn't get her message."

"I'm positive, I would have noticed in the last three years if a message telling me I had a daughter popped out."

"Well look on the bright side your already halfway through your requirements," Andrew told him. "Just marry her."

"Marry her?" Darien asked. "Ha! I'm not sure I even want to marry her now the lying..."

"Don't go there Darien, even if she didn't call, would you have picked up if she did?" Andrew asked. Darien sniffed.

"I might have."

"The way you left, I honestly don't think you would have. You haven't given this woman a single thought in nearly four years until you needed something from her. I wouldn't be so quickly to judge, you barely know her if you ever did." Darien groaned he had never stopped thinking about Serena that was why she had been his first choice. It wasn't like he hadn't been hurt as much as she was at his leaving. But Darien Chiba was not the marrying type. He was a playboy, it was what his body was built fore just like he had the mind of a CEO. "Man I agree with father its time you settled down, got to know your own kid, and enjoy life. You've been living in another world and its time you got out."

"I'm not a husband."

"I never thought I was, but Dare if you get to know the right girl, you'll see that everything changes. And everything changes even more when you're a Father. You need to apologize and if nothing else at the moment you need to earn the right to be called Daddy. And if you want to be CEO, I suggest you earn the right for Serena's love. To be honest I never understood how you could walk away from a woman like her from what you told me about her."

"Your no help." Darien hung up in his face, because he knew Andrew's words had truth to them. "Ugh what am I going to do, I have a daughter, I thought I'd at least have ten months to prepare or at least find a way out of that to make the divorce easier later on." His hotel phone rang and he answered.

"Darien where are you baby, I'm alone and naked in your bed," Beryl told him, she hoped sincerely that he was out buying her a thirty-two karat diamond ring. Oh she could just imagine the rock he would put on her finger.

"I am in Japan for my wedding, so your just going to have to get dressed and out of my apartment," Darien told her. He was getting tired of her showing up at his apartment unannounced and walking in as if she lived there. It wasn't like she had clothes in his closet. "And stay out of it, your not welcome there anymore." He slammed the phone down in annoyance. "Bitch."

* * *

"Wedding!" Beryl yelled into the phone just as the dial tone sounded. "He can't be in Japan for his wedding when I'm here! I'm supposed to be his bride. Japan!" Beryl's mind suddenly went back to the message his Japanese whore had left on his machine. She screamed and tore up the apartment. She paced back and forth angrily thinking of ways to get rid of Serena before she called a private airport where her Daddy's jet waited after calling her father. He would see to it his little girl got everything she wanted and no whore Darien met in his travels was going to get in the way.

* * *

"I can't believe that bastard had the nerve to show up after nearly four years," Raye told her.

"Next time he comes around I'll squash his head in like a bug," Lita told her as her fist collided with her other hand letting them know she meant business.

"I think you should give him a chance." Everyone turned in shock to look at Mina.

"What?" Serena asked. "Mina I can't do that, its not just me he'll hurt this time, but Kimi."

"Sere, I know you think that, but despite his behavior I think you two have a shot. You owe it to yourself to at least get closure this time, set boundaries with Kimi so that if he does decide to leave again he'll be just another boyfriend."

"You know, I never thought I'd say this, but Mina is right," Amy told her. Lita and Raye started to agree slowly as Mina looked surprised Amy was agreeing with her. "You need closure if not an actual lasting relationship, I never could describe what I felt when I saw you two together..."

"Disgust you felt disgust," Serena told her. "I can't go back to him you guys, he betrayed my love, as soon as he got what he was after he left me. He let me fall in love with him knowing that he would leave me in three weeks, and I like an idiot fell for him just like every other dumb ass out there. The only difference between me and them now is that I have his child and I will not fall willingly back into his bed when he comes baring false promises." Serena stood up. "The first time was hard enough don't convince me to go through that again." Serena left quickly before they could reply she needed to be alone, and she obviously couldn't count on her friends on this matter.


	5. Crazy Bitches

Crazy Bitches

"Looking for something special?" Ms. Osaka asked Darien. He grinned.

"How can you tell?"

"You're concentrating real hard and nothing seems good enough, but I think I have just the thing for an engagement ring I presume." Darien nodded. Her smile got wider. She went in back and came back with a lovely white gold band with precious flawless blue diamonds and in the center was a beautiful pink rose that just seemed to bloom. Darien was in awe. "I thought you might like it."

"How much?"

"This is our most expensive ring and is one of a kind so we would sell something like this for around Three million two hundred and fifty-five thousand and eight hundred twelve yen."

"So that's what Eighteen Thousand five hundred pounds?" The woman nodded. "Do you take checks?" She nodded with a smile as she boxed it in a crystal case. Darien soon walked out pocketing the ring and took a stroll to the arcade he had taken Serena, she had loved it there because it had been one of her childhood haunts. He ordered a chocolate milkshake rather than his usual coffee and played Sailor V games until he ran out of change. Afterwards he went to the park and was highly surprised to see Serena there, as far as he knew she should have been working. But she was there beautiful as ever tossing a bouncy red ball back to his daughter. His daughter the words sounded foreign.

"Ugh I have to get her back, my whole life is depending on this." He straightened his green jacket and walked over casually. He gave his daughter a friendly smile and she returned it. She was so much like her mother in that aspect.

"What are you doing here?" Serena demanded angrily as she turned around.

"Well I was walking by and I happened to see my daughter I have every right to see her."

"Well I don't want you too, you're a bad influence and I won't have you hurting her." Darien moved pass her and bent down in front of his daughter who was hugging her ball.

"Hey what's your name?"

"Kimiko," she answered in a darling little voice, reminded him of his mother.

"Do you know who I am?" Kimiko nodded to Serena's horror. "Oh and who am I?"

"You funny, Uncle say you my Daddy, that true?" Darien nodded.

"Yes, I am and how would you like to come to England with me and meet your Uncle and Aunt and most importantly your grandmother?" Before Kimiko could answer Serena had picked her up.

"My child is not leaving Japan until I decide to take her on vacation."

"I have every right to have her visit with me in England."

"No, you don't." Darien became furious with her. "Stay away from us." She walked off quickly.

"Oh she's going to make me resort to drastic measures soon if she doesn't cooperate." Serena took Kimiko home and told her not to ever mention Darien again to anyone. Which she knew was cruel in retrospect, but she couldn't bring herself to go back on her words as she drove.

"Any luck?" Darien turned and jumped seeing Mina.

"What the hell."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"Its fine, but why are you so interested in whether or not we're together?"

"I'm the Doctor of Love please I'm always interested, don't insult me. Besides you should be kissing my feet."

"Oh and why is that oh great love doctor?" Darien asked.

"Because I'll help you get Sere back." Darien looked at her suspiciously.

"Oh you will?" Mina nodded. "And what about your little pediatrician friend, I hear she's got it out for me."

"Lucky for you not anymore." Darien jumped again as Lita appeared behind him.

"Damn why do you have to sneak up on a guy." Lita didn't apologize. He turned so Mina was on his right and Lita on his left. "Now what about that pyro ob/gyn chick or that brainy internal medicine chick?"

"You mean us?" Darien jumped again. He took a deep breath controlling his temper.

"Just shut up and listen Mr. CEO. For some strange reason despsite what you did, we know you and Serena belong together, and you're going to marry her pronto and be a father to Kimiko."

"Oh Gee if you haven't noticed guys, she doesn't want me within three feet of either of them."

"You let us get you near her, all you have to do is not fucking screw it up." Lita walked up and grabbed Darien by the shirt.

"And if you break her heart, I am going to break all your external body parts especially the one you're quite proud of." Lita dropped him hard on the ground.

"Here's my number keep in touch, in the mean time, go clean up and chill." Mina threw the paper at him before they walked away.

"Crazy bitches," Darien muttered as he crushed the paper in his hands and straightened his clothes.

* * *

"Welcome to Tokyo, Japan, Beryl." Beryl shoved her bag into the awaiting arms of the greeter.

"Move it Yao Ming, I have seven other bags and I want them in the trunk of my limousine immediately." Her father stalked out shoving a heavy bag into his arms after he had collected all of Beryl's luggage, the poor man was going to fall if it weren't for his colleagues.

"Why do I always get the crazy bitch?" The man Beryl had referred to as Yao Ming said to his colleagues.

"Just unlucky like that."

"Now darling where is this Darien fellow?"

"To be honest I don't know, but we have to find that bitch, once we get rid of her it'll be too easy for me to have Darien making love to me again and this time I'll make sure he proposes." He nodded as the driver headed for the hotel. "That bitch will die if she has too, she is not getting my ring."

* * *

"I don't want to hear it Mina," Serena told Mina as she went into her office and put her things away. She put her jacket on the hook and grabbed her Doctor's jacket as Mina came in and shut the door.

"Sere come on give him a chance for Kimiko's sake."

"I said no Mina, I absolutely cannot bear to see her cry because Darien decides that his playboy lifestyle has no room in it."

"Sere, that won't happen, even if you and him don't work out, but I highly doubt that if you guys just love each other and stop fighting. I know he did you wrong and I'm not saying he deserves you. Because he doesn't, its up to you to make him pay for that, but don't throw your chance away at having this incredible husband who I know will be an incredible father too if you just let him."

"No, Mina and frankly I don't want to hear another word about it or no babysitting during Sailor V week." Mina gasped.

"Sere you wouldn't do that to Kimiko," Mina told her.

"No, not her just you, she has a friend who loves sailor V just as much if not more than you."

"I can't believe you would hurt me like that." Mina left and Serena actually felt kind of bad, but at least Mina would stop. She hoped she would stop that is. She took a deep breath and composed herself as she looked at the spot that was previously empty on her desk. It held a picture of her beautiful daughter and herself. A few tears escaped her eyes, once upon a dream that photo held Darien. Those nine months had been grueling, as she'd wake up every morning halfway expecting him to be downstairs when it was only Lita or her mother with breakfast. Only Lita had seen her cry like she did than, which is why she couldn't understand why Lita was siding with Mina. A knock sounded at her door.

"Just a moment." She wiped her eyes as she realized she was practically balling silently now. She pulled out her mirror and checked her eye make up before she cleared her throat. "Come in." The nurse walked in.

"Sorry we have an emergency appendectomy." Serena nodded. The nurse handed her the chart and left out. Serena sat a few more seconds putting on her cheery face before she stood up as she looked at the chart and hurried to the patient's room.


	6. Old Habits die hard

Old habits die hard

"Mommy!" Kimiko squealed as Serena chased her around with a hose. It was a hot day and they were washing the car. Across the street in a red sports car, Beryl scowled as she used a pair of binoculars to spy on them. She noted every feature that was Darien's feature.

"Damn, I was hoping that she was a lying whore. Well that'll complicate things if I leave her orphaned." Beryl made a note to tell her father that the kid had to die as well if she were going to have Darien all to herself. At that moment she saw Serena looking her way. She turned and started the car speeding off before Serena got a good look at her. She didn't want Darien to know she had been spying on his whore. She looked around as she drove ignoring pedestrians who almost got hit and making rude gestures at drivers, before she had pulled up at a hotel. She parked in a handicap space and got out. Beryl smirked as she turned the heads of the poor bastards that would never see a woman like her again. She went to the receptionist desk.

"May I help you madam?" She asked.

"Yes, is there a Darien Chiba staying here?" Beryl asked. The woman smiled at her before she turned to the computer and looked up the name.

"No, I'm sorry we have no record of a Mr. Chiba-san staying here." Beryl turned and left without another word. She wasn't put off that just meant he was at another hotel. She drove off almost hitting a man in a wheel chair, but she hardly took any notice as he yelled after her. She was forced to stop however when a group of elderly men and women were walking across the street.

"Move it!" Beryl yelled sticking her head out the window and honking her horn several times, but they did not move. She sighed and pushed on the gas reving her engine to let them know she wasn't afraid to run them over and she wasn't. She was about to run the last one over when a Good Samaritan helped the man to the sidewalk quickly. She peeled off and ran a red light. She used the British Embassy to help her find all the hotels. The Embassy operator grudgingly helped her seeing as how Beryl was quite rude to him.

"Finally!" Beryl snapped. She could spot Darien's car a mile away. He was just driving away from his hotel. Instead of turning like she intended she followed him. She stayed one car behind him. She followed him to the flower shop and to a jewelry shop before lastly going to the hospital. Beryl frowned. Why was he going to the hospital? She parked a way down, and watched him. He didn't take with him anything he had bought. Once he was inside she went to his car and reached in for the flowers. She read the card.

"To my Darling Serena, I hope you can forgive me, Darien," Beryl read. Beryl fumed as she took out her pin and changed the name to her own. "That oughta set him back if he's trying to make nice. Nothing like another woman's name to start a fight." She went back to her own car and waited impatiently. He came out thirty minutes later looking pleased. He drove off and she followed him to a toy store. She didn't have to guess what he was getting. She looked at the baby doll with disgust. The only thing a doll was good for in her opinion was chopping their heads off. Next she followed him back to his hotel where he took everything he bought inside with him. She parked and followed him in. Once he was in the elevator she found out his room number she followed him giving him a few minutes head start by buying something from the expensive in hotel clothing store. She changed in the changing room carrying out her other clothes in the bag. She stopped at the receptionist.

"Have a bottle of champagne sent up to Darien Chiba's room immediately."

"Yes ma'am." She got in the elevator.

* * *

"All right Darien tonight you have to make your next move, its your turn and this is one very dangerous game of chess. She's smarter than the others and your old tricks aren't going to work," Darien told himself as he looked in the mirror having hopped in the shower for five minutes as soon as he got in the door. Now he stood with a towel around his perfect waist. "First move tonight to get to the Queen is take out her last pawn, your daughter. You have to worm your rightful place into her life." He used some mouthwash and spit it out when he heard knocking on his door. He wasn't expecting anybody, but he didn't rule out it was one of her friends. He ran his fingers through his wet black hair as he walked to the door. He opened it and he was surprised to see Beryl.

"Darien, you know me so well," Beryl told him pushing her way in, dropping her bag as she kicked the door closed and began tugging at his towel. He grabbed the towel and pulled back keeping it on.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Darien asked.

"I'm here for our wedding silly, when you said you were in Japan, I knew you wanted me out here immediately."

"No, I didn't, I'm not marrying you Beryl."

"You can stop trying to hide it, I know you must have had to come her to pick out an extra special ring for me and since you had to come all the way here, I'm already looking into nice places unless you already have one picked out. I hope your not too upset I figured out the surprise."

"I'm not marrying you Beryl, matter of fact you need to leave immediately. I told you I didn't want to see you again. I should have dumped you months ago."

"Oh if you wanted me gone, you shouldn't have fucked me over and over again Darien! You love me its time you realized that."

"Your just an old habit Beryl, and most bad habits die hard, but I'm through, your dead!" Beryl tried harder to kiss him and get his towel off, but he shoved her hard. She glared at him with such malice, that Darien knew he had crossed a line. "I'm sorry I didn't mean to hurt you physically that's not the kind of man I am, but you shouldn't have pressed on when I told you no." He secured the towel around himself.

"You will rue the day you refused me Darien Chiba, and you will come crawling back to me, be sure of that. You will marry me, and that whore is going to be wiped off the face of the earth for doing this to us." Darien looked alarmed she knew about Serena and wondered if she knew about Kimiko.

"You stay away from Serena and Kimiko." Beryl gave him an evil smile.

"Make me Darien, make me." She stood up and grabbed her bag before leaving and shoving the room service girl carrying the champagne hard. She hit her head and ice went flying everywhere as the bucket rolled down the hall after Beryl and the champagne lay against the base of the wall.

"I'm so sorry," Darien told her. He helped her up and grabbed the champagne bottle ignoring the cold ice under his feet.

"I'm sorry sir." She sucked in a breath as she rubbed her head and her eyes ran over his body several times. Than she made a small noise of surprise and turned her head away though she was still peaking. Darien felt a little too much wind on his backside and realized his towel had fallen when he squatted to grab the champagne. Normally he'd use a usually embarrassing occasion to bed a cute room service girl, but not this time, he had bigger fish to fry and she wasn't it and he viewed it as a shame too. The girl looked like a good lay and he had to stop himself from saying something though he couldn't help smirking at her obvious lust for him and her shyness. He bent down and picked up his towel handing her the bottle before going inside. He hadn't gone two feet when there was a knock on the door.

"I guess I'm going to have to let her down gently." Darien smirked to himself, he didn't even have use any lines. His ego grew larger at the thought. He threw his towel on the couch thinking she should at least get a better look at his adonis figure since she couldn't sample him even just a little. He opened the door and her eyes went wide as she nearly hyperventilated as she took him all of him in, every last inch.

"Your champagne sir," She said quietly trying to keep her eyes on his face. He took it figuring Beryl had ordered it.

"Arigato." He was about to shut the door as she stood still there when his playboy nature took over, there was no way he was breaking old habits so fast.

"Something else sir?" She asked nervously not noticing that she still hadn't moved from his doorway.

"Why don't you come in and enjoy this with me?" She looked down the hall on both sides before Darien pulled her in. He paused in closing the door when another pretty room service girl walked up and looked curiously at the ice on the floor. "Huh what the hell old habits die hard." He beckoned the girl to him and soon she was in his room too.


	7. Trying to make amends

Trying to make amends

"All right Darien you're on." He rang the doorbell and held up the flowers. He looked them over making sure they were perfect. Serena opened the door glaring at him.

"I told you to stay away from us."

"No, no come on Serena hear me out we have a daughter together." He handed her the flowers, she took them and looked at the card before frowning deeper.

"Is this some kind of sick joke, you come over here apologizing when all the time you meant to give these to a another girl!" She threw the card and flowers back at him and shut the door. She stood with her back to the door fuming as she hugged herself. She was grateful Kimiko was upstairs playing as she waited for dinner. She didn't want her to see her break down. Meanwhile Darien stood outside glaring at the card, Beryl had set him back a little, but he wasn't giving up, he at least needed her to agree to let him see his daughter that was his way in. He knocked again.

"Serena please open up, it wasn't my intention to have another woman's name on the card, the teenager who did the arrangement must have been playing a joke or something. Please can we just talk no lies, no fighting." Serena shook her head at herself, she didn't understand why she had to be so kind to bastards like Darien. She wiped her face and opened the door letting him inside. He took his shoes off and they went into the living room. He still remembered how it had looked when he left her yellow roses and a note. Now there were signs of his child no their child, all over the living room. He tried to hand her the flowers again, but she wouldn't take them, he set them down.

"Well what do you have to say?" Serena crossed her arms.

"Firstly that I'm sorry, I know you don't believe me, but I never stopped thinking about you. You are a rare girl and I think out of all the girls I've ever been with and left I did you wrong the most and not just because of Kimiko." He looked her in the eye. "I swear to you I never got your message about Kimiko, I swear I would have done right by her sooner even if I couldn't have done right by you. My father raised me to take care of all my responsibilities and the minute we had unprotected sex, Kimiko became my responsibility as well as you as her mother." Serena took a deep breath, the girls were right closure was necessary.

"Thank you, I'm sure that apology was hard for you, but if not Kimi than what brought you back now?" Darien nodded. He thought about lying to her, but at the very least he needed his daughter in his life, he could always marry some other bimbo if Serena reacted badly.

"Honestly my father gave me an ultimatum marry in two months, and have a child within the year or I forfeit my inheritance which is becoming CEO. It's all I've ever worked for is to be CEO. I came back to make you my wife if you would have me, and start a family, but I hadn't realized I already got an early start." Serena looked furiously at him.

"I am nothing to you, you thought of me and saw it as your ticket to continued wealth."

"No, I could have married any bimbo by now and not even taken the flight to Japan to do that. No, my father said marry someone like your mother, and I knew there was only one woman I had ever met that could even come close to resembling my mother, and that was you. You're not like all the other girls Serena, and that has always stood out to me and made me love you."

"Don't use the word love, you don't love me, if you love someone you don't abandon them."

"Look I realize now that if I want you in my life or even as my wife that it will take time. But at least let me get to know my daughter." Serena turned away from him thinking about it, she owed it to Kimiko to attempt to give her a father even if they would never be together.

"Just don't spoil her too much, she's already spoiled as it is, and she doesn't leave Japan without me understood?" He nodded.

"Yes, where is she?" He looked around wondering if he had actually missed his daughter.

"She's upstairs, you can stay for dinner until she's in bed than you have to go." He nodded as she looked at him. Serena went upstairs and retrieved her daughter.

"Go say hello." Kimiko shuffled over shyly to Darien who smiled at her. She couldn't help but smile back at him.

"Hi," She said quietly.

"Hi, I'm your Daddy, Darien Chiba."

"My name is Kimiko Tsukino."

"Well that won't do you're a Chiba like me." He looked at Serena frowning.

"Her last name will be Chiba when you show some promise." He huffed.

"Fair enough." He turned back to her and she was also frowning. "Why are you sad now?"

"I made you mad." He shook his head giving her another smile.

"No, no you didn't make me mad, I'm not mad, I was just sad that we didn't have the same last name yet. But what's more important is what you like to do for fun."

"Sailor V," She told him with a grin. "Will you play with me?" He nodded.

"Of course I'll play a Sailor V game with you." She smiled and ran to her hand held game of Sailor V courtesy of Mina." Serena watched as Kimiko sat in his lap and he helped her play the game to her delight. She went to check on dinner she had made grilled steak and shrimp with stir fried rice a favorite of Kimiko's that her mother had made her. She packed away a portion for Kimiko's lunch, but not her own or Darien wouldn't eat. She set the table and poured tea for them, she knew Darien liked a beer with dinner, but she didn't have alcohol in her house because of Kimiko and she wouldn't go running to get him any.

"Dinner's ready." Darien walked in with Kimiko after they both went to wash their hands. "It looks bad, but it still tastes good as always." Darien nodded remembering he had been a little weary of Serena's cooking but was grateful it didn't taste terrible. At least not horribly so that time, he hoped time had improved her cooking.

"I don't suppose you keep beer here, huh?" She shook her head and made no move to suggest anything else except the tea and milk in front of him. Kimiko dug in and like her mother she had a very healthy appetite. "Hmm this is very good."

"Thank you."

"So where does Kimiko go to preschool?" Darien asked.

"She goes to daycare where she can play all day a few blocks over."

"Do they work on her numbers and letters and things like that?" Serena shook her head.

"No, unfortunately only the private preschools do that, and they're really expensive."

"Well that won't do at all, why didn't you send her to Cherry Blossom Pre-school I read they're the best in Tokyo."

"Yes the best in Tokyo and they're clear across town, and requires an entrance exam for heaven's sake. Not to mention I'm sure they put no focus on socialization."

"No, I called, there's a reason they're the best in the city, they put equal emphasis on academic and socialization that's why I like it. I went to a academically emphasized preschool myself and I have a great sense of independence, but I do rather kimi is more like you as far as socialization goes for you. I want her to be surrounded by friends that love her and frankly one day that little girl is going to be old enough to run Chiba industries if she wants it and I want her to be better than you or I." Serena looked at him surprised.

"I hadn't really thought about her being your heir." He nodded. "In any case it's over two thousand five hundred pounds a month, that's three hundred and forty-seven thousand five hundred and fifty yen."

"You're a doctor."

"Yes well I have student loans, and some debt I've only just gotten rid of. If it weren't for my father I might have even lost this house. I work long hours and don't get paid nearly enough. Kimi isn't exactly not expensive I wasn't ready to have my life changed financially."

"You're a surgeon though." She shrugged. "It doesn't matter I planned on paying for it anyway, no child of mine will not have the best while I can afford it."

"Hmm and how are you going to get her to pass the entrance exams and there's a waiting list the size of Mount Kumotori."

"You let me deal with the waiting list." Serena shrugged.

"Yes, and how is she going to get there it's clear across town, I don't have time to drop her off?"

"No worries, I'll figure it out before I proceed besides it has extended hours if you need them, I'm not even sure how you're getting by now."

"The girls, my mother, my brother they all pitch in." He nodded and looked at Kimiko.

"Do you mind if I plan a fun day for tomorrow?" Serena nodded.

"I have to work and frankly right now I don't trust you alone with her."

"Well what day are you free?"

"I guess I could see if I can take a few days off how long are you in town for, three weeks?"

"As long as I need, I have no pressing matters to attend to back home."

"Well I just hope you'll have the courtesy to say you're leaving to my face next time. You don't get to do what you did to me to Kimi, if you leave you look her in the eye and you tell her why." He nodded.

"I won't do that to her, that is my promise to both of you, I know it means nothing right now, but it is." Serena nodded. "Will you at least join me for dinner just the two of us to discuss some things."

"I'll think about it, I would have to get a sitter." The rest of dinner was silent until Kimiko didn't drink her milk.

"Kimi drink your milk please," Serena told her. She shook her head and crossed her arms.

"Daddy no drink his milk, Kimi no drink her milk." Serena sighed as she finished eating.

"It's really not up for discussion Kimiko, you know the rules, you don't leave this table until you finish your milk."

"Daddy I don't wanna drink my milk," She told him. Darien couldn't help but smile at how easily she called him Daddy. He already knew she had him wrapped around her finger. If there was ever a woman powerful enough to hold him it would always be his little girl and perhaps even Serena. He was about to side with Kimi when he looked at Serena she was daring him to undermind her. He didn't want to do that at all, he was smart enough to realize that would set him back.

"Look Kimi, I know you don't like your milk, Daddy doesn't either, but Mommy only wants us to drink it so we can stay healthy, and so you can grow up to be tall like me. You see mommy doesn't like being short." He whispered the last part making Kimiko giggle. Serena looked slightly offended at being teased. "So I'll drink my milk if you drink yours okay?" She nodded. They both drank their milk before she wanted to play with him some more and insisted he give her a bath. Serena of course watched him, but to both their surprise he was very good with Kimiko although he was unsure of how to bathe her and Serena had to show him. He also had to be shown how to dress her properly for bed.

"Story daddy, story."

"A story man I haven't heard a story since I was a kid." He was silent as he thought. "You know what use to be my favorite story as a kid?"

"What story?" Kimiko asked. He smiled.

"Robin Hood." He related to her the tale of Robin Hood until she was fast asleep and Serena showed him how to tuck her in properly so she didn't wake up.

"So can I return for dinner tomorrow I'll cook, and we can discuss an outing perhaps even the dinner between the two of us." Serena looked guarded, and he knew she had good reason to be. She nodded.

"I swear Darien, you run out on Kimi don't ever come back and I mean never." He nodded.

"I understand don't worry, I'll be here tomorrow, and make you both dinner." He left after a quick kiss to her cheek before she could stop her. Serena barely stopped herself from slamming the door so he wouldn't see if he got the desired effected. She would never let him know that as soon as his lips touched her cheek her defenses had come crashing down and her lips longed to touch his one more. She leaned against the front door as tears spilled down her cheeks until she finally slid to the floor. Why did he have such an affect on her, every time he touched her, her body wanted to melt into his arms. Every time he smiled her lips twitched wanting to smile back, and when he had that sexy little confident smirk on his face, her panties wanted to drop to the floor. She banged her head against the door. The last thing she needed was for her legs to open so easily for him again. This was all a charade for money she had to remember that, but she prayed he was at least serious about Kimiko she deserved a father. She sighed.

"Don't get your hopes up Serena, if he can't stick by you, he can't stick by Kimiko." Serena stood up and began to clean up while she went over in her head how to explain to Kimiko that Darien would not be returning to see her ever. If she were lucky, Kimiko would forget him as soon as the sunrise and that would be ideal.

* * *

Darien returned to his hotel a smile on his face as he remembered telling Kimiko the story of Robin Hood and how she had snuggled up to him in his arms. She reminded him of when he use to snuggle to his own mother and she would tell him stories. Her looks even reminded him a lot of his mother, but he also saw some of Serena in her. His thoughts turned to Serena, if she hadn't been so unhappy he might have actually believed they were a family that night. He wished he had never walked out on her, his mother had once told him that when he found the right girl to never walk out on her, and he had done exactly that. He had been too stupid to notice what a diamond he had found. Serena was something so much more than all the girls he had ever slept with, she was doing something with her life, and she was as sweet as he was ruthless. They would be a good contrast keeping each other balanced. Darien couldn't help but think that he might have ruined some of that sweetness.

"Oh Sere, please let me heal that part of you I ruined, even if I am here for selfish reasons," Darien whispered to himself as he parked his car and went up to his room. He didn't notice Beryl watching him from her car.


End file.
